Microbial Life

Loki: Chapter 5

The single-celled
life on Loki is divided into three types. The first type is the
chemosynthetic bacteria. These are bacteria that use the heat
and hydrogen sulfide released by the volcanic vents to produce
hydrocarbons. These are among the most numerous and the most
important microbes on the planet, forming the first link in the
food chain. These microbes are very similar to the microbes found
in deep ocean vents on Earth, since they are adapted to similar
environs.

The
next most common microbe-type on Loki is the photosynthesizers.
These plants use a purple pigment called rhodo-philobagilocin
to store the energy from infra-red radiation to convert carbon
dioxide and water to hydrocarbons and oxygen. These bacteria
are so numerous on the surface of the planet that they stain
the side of Loki facing Thor a purplish-red. These bacteria also
exist in much smaller numbers over the volcanic vents on the
ocean floor.

Yet another
type of microbe found on the ocean floor is the transformer.
This type relates more closely to the protists than the other
two types. These single-celled creatures live around the multicellular
chemosynthesizers, often in symbiosis with them. They take the
sulfur and sulfate ions extruded by the chemosynthesizers and
use a set of enzymes to reverse the actions, give off hydrogen
sulfide, and then use the extra energy to make carbohydrates
and oxygen. The method is effective, as there are very few large
chemosynthesizers without colonies of these bacteria inside or
around them.

There
are viri in these bacteria. Surprisingly, many viri appear to
be able to coexist with one of the types of bacteria, only to
violently attack a different type. The viral transfer of DNA
appears to have been tailored to the type of metabolism the bacterium
or organism possesses. In bacteria that are compatible, the virus
may actually help, by increasing the reproduction rate of the
bacteria. Such viri would explain the dearth of chemosynthetic
bacteria in the upper layer of the hydrosphere.

There are also
a large number of heterotrophic animals. Many of these cannot
properly be called microbes, as they are descended from either
the notochordates or the arthropods. However, there are enough
true microbes to warrant attention. These microbes are very diverse,
as they can consume the chemosynthetic bacteria, the transforming
protists, or the photosynthetic algaforms. Their method of ingestion
allows them to absorb the proteins and carbohydrates, while leaving
behind the sulfur and other inedible minerals so often extruded
by these microbes.

Many of the
bacteria have shells or walls made of a sulfate ester, or a shell
made of a chitin-like material containing extra sulfur ions.
These shells provide places to store additional carbohydrates.
The shells typically fission when the bacteria divides, growing
together in about 10 minutes after the reproduction is finished.